New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-22
THE sHIFLEsSEsT TOOT.
SOME sOUrH SHORE FOLKS.


dory isl Lest yoa do not let me explain that 1t Is
the most insecure cockleshell-like thing In which
| ever saw human being adventure himself on Tue
broad Here, on this stretch OF the Soutf
Shore, everybody seems to shove OIL boldly IN one OF
these things. 1t ia true that they do not 90 very lar
in A craft of this kind but the mystery is that thew
can go at all dory is small and llat-bottomed, ana
always leaks like sieve it wobbles all about, and IS
continually threatening to tip over and yet never
saw one really tip Ii is as inseparabe from
these shores in ones memory as gondola is from the
| thought OF Venice.
Marsh Yates had said he guessed he better bad in
response to the shout from party that he should
cone Ia and help about tue tents.
Hours ago. when he had pushed of. he had gone
with the avowed intention of "lookin after his
pawts. Them lobster pawts alters kickin up
some kind of row; Dustin OF their Stats, or
spIittin' their no;tin' They made mans lie
burden 10 him. ana no mistake"
When Marsh had got Oft by Seal Ledge, however,
his activity had subsidized. He pulled in his oars and
took the LATEST attitude possible, while he enjoyed
long smoke. There is nobody in this world who can
look and he soaked in laziness - am using an
expression often the lips OF Marsh Yatess wite-as
an oa-shore fisherman and Marsh even excelled all
the rest in this accomplishment. These here
Yankees the OF the heart but, contrary to the
majority of inland Yankees they nate work with all
their might One needs only to see them slowly htcn
mp their trousers, which always sagsing over
| their hips from loose waistband and their walk is
not q walk 1t 10 simply a slouch which unacountably
and gradually propels them over the land.
All the afternoon we had seen Marsh out there in
| his dory he mad had a nap and he had smoked ne
had even bestirred himself and pulled up the lobster
pots extracting the few Holsters that had been en-
/ shared. To do this occupying about quarter OF
! an hour, was days work for the big broad
shouldered fellow. When his wife -pestered him
70 cut n little wood for her cook stove he mumbed
that he'd got TO tend to his pawts. 1t was even told
in the hamlet which has sprung up aongshore here
that the longsuferng Mrs. Yates in desperation once
rushed out took the dory and vent and furiously
destroyed the pots. In tho sequel, however, she
went and begged her husbands pardon. Since which
time as my informant said it bad been wuss n ever
Tor her. for whenever there words, Marsh he was
sure to fling the pawts at her. ! don't mean," said
this fisherman who told the story as " all sat on
the breakwae: back OF tho Bob Loud house, ana
waited, don't want so TO understand that Marsh
really flung the pawts at his woman mat u1 Den
too much work"
ats merely a figure of speech !" we remarked.
icksacty; igger OF speech. Dye ever hear
how Marsh went courtin an got hisset Engaged T.
Not since his marriage |" asked, horror
stricken.
Icksactly" repeated companion, sucking hard
at his black pipe and finding dsGustedly that there
wac fire in it.
We had been on this shore only kalf day and
already we knew that this middle-aged men before
us, with the leather face and solemn eyes, was q
greater gossip than be imagined by those VINO
have never passed any time among these lobster men
and boaimen. Ills face looked the color and texture
of well-cured sole leather, and l believe the skin
upon 1t thick. He was disabled, for one foot
was drawn almost up to the bend in his Knee
think he glad of this crippled state tor now no
one could ask him why he did not work, as people
used to DO before his accident He was the only man
left in the hamlet until it should please Marsh
Yates 10 return therefore we were dependent on
Marsh for assistance about tho tent
Cap'n Asel, "a this being was currently called,
IL, ahout ulank Ot
cooked a melancholy eve up at the western heavens,
opined that should have a bit of weather before
morning, then said in an incidental sort OF way
as II mentioning the subject Tor tho irst time
Yrs. that there sparkin O. hisn cost Marsh fust-
rate bedstid. cook stove an kitchen table, Ho
waited Tor this assertion to take due oiect then he
went on meditativoly, not looking at US at all
"Ye see, IL all rz out O. his wOmans gon' out and
n dcstroyn' of them pawts. told Nara Jane arter
she come in an n ravin' up an down the beach
here that she'd better have thought twice't tore she
done IT, She turned me like wild thing and says
in a fury What does he think, q wearn me inter the
graver I told her calmly that the grave want
neither hero nor there but that her husband an
she hadn't onght TO ascravate him. Her eyes were
like balls O. fire. and she jest Gared at me, aud went
of. Arter saw her that night reckoned Marsh no
had his trials"
Here CaDn Asel spat refecvely, and was silent so
long that suspected he waiting TO be urged TO go
on Finding that nothing said he went on of
his accord.
Marsh was mad arter she'd done that that he
went and shipped onto colder Tor tho Banks, thing
he never done afore In his liie for he said coddn
was too tnrnation hard work. w'ich guess It's But.
lor he didn't 20 to the Banks lie want no such fool
as that lie lked away from the schooner somehow
or nuther, swum some, I've ben told, and jest let um
whistle fur him. lie hired out ter a farmer some |
where beyond Marblehead, inland piece. Course |
b. didn't work. But he's teller that the women |
alters 10 ok to don't know how It's but It's He took
TO courtin' the farmers gal, on in two
weeks they was ingaged. In two weeks more |
the time was set for the weddin'. There was little |
house Oh the iarm which they agoin ter live in.
Tn. farmer tried all he could ter have his gal sheer
of and have nothin ter say TO Marsh but, lor, ye |
can't do nothm with gals, not in that kind OF way |
Marsh is might y curis in some ways. He hadn't no |
money N no didn't how ne was agoin to furnish
that little house. What did he do but write to his |
wife an tell her to send bedstd, stove and |
table He gave tho merit town to where he was a |
stayin' "a the place TO send EN- to. Ho said as how
he was fxin up cosy spot, an was gon ter send tor
her SOON Ie told me arter II all happened that he
meant to git bill finally, and he reckoned on his
wife bein so mad she'd help him. Well, the things
come prompt and took care OF By the gal he was
going to marry That evenin' she told him rs
pleasant "a basket O. chips that she guessed he'd
hotter 20 Daok to his wife down to the South Shore,
for p'raps she was expectin' OF him. Ye see |
Marshs wife, when he sent for the bedsd had nosed |
round still as a mouse and sent word to the gal, and
then waited. Wall, Marsh he'd TO go back; there |
want no other way for him to git livin' save
through his wife. He tried to git the furntur back
But what do 20 think that gal did She said she |
want the habit OF hevn presents that was Civ to
her took away agn. Scnce then she has married |
another foller and gone ter Housekeeping with them
things They amt never ben able ter git fedstid
over TO Marshs sence an they'd suffered for cook
stove ei Maria James father hadn't given um an
old lud that they manage to use.
% guess Marsh Ia a comm in now"
Damn Asel spat profusey M if in applause of his
own story, and we looked out toward the solitary
object on the water, which was now coming landward
The sun had set by this time, and the bay and the
shores were glowing beneath the soft hued crimso OF
tina sky Two ships with full sail set, were coming
sowy toward Boston harbor out beyond these in the
fr1Ia tho md maelinG than. an I